Now that my hometown is back on top of the must visit destination list, here’s how to enjoy NYC on the cheap.
Things to do include FREE museum admission, holiday tree lighting ceremonies and holiday markets, ice skating in Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, Central Park and under the Brooklyn Bridge, New Year’s Eve in Times Square, and so much more.
It all helps make New York City the greatest city on the planet year-round, not just in October and November.
Nearly everything here is FREE and family-friendly, and nothing is more than $20 per person unless it is a free program with museum or zoo admission, supports a charity, or otherwise is a noteworthy special event. Some free events require registration.
Pick one, some or all and enjoy the best of New York City FREE or cheap.
This best things to do in NYC on the cheap guide is updated at the beginning and middle of each month, with at least six weeks of events to help you plan how to enjoy the greatest city on the planet.
NYC Tourism Facts
In 2023, NYC welcomed 62.2 million visitors, including 50.6 million domestic and 11.6 million international visitors.
In 2024, visitation is expected to grow to 64.8 million, a 97% recovery of pre-Pandemic 2019 record levels.
Top Choices
Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremonies
Click the link for our full, complete listing of tree lighting ceremonies, including Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, Central Park, Wall Street and more.
FREE Holiday Markets
We love – absolutely love and absolutely recommend – museum gift shops and those at the NYC library systems, because you are also supporting the museums and libraries along with finding a unique item, to give to yourself or somebody else.
The Holiday Market at The Brooklyn Museum
Featuring local artists and vendors with unique crafts and holiday gifts. Art workshops and family-friendly activities during market days.
- Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Holiday Market at The HighLine Hotel
- An intimate market featuring local vendors selling handmade goods, crafts, and gourmet foods. Cozy atmosphere with holiday decorations and seasonal treats available.
Holiday Market at The New York Public Library (Mid-Manhattan Library)
- A festive market featuring literary-themed gifts, local artisans, and holiday treats. Special events including book signings and readings throughout the season.
Holiday Market at The Queens Museum
- A market showcasing local artisans with handmade crafts and seasonal goods.
- Family-friendly activities including art workshops and cultural performances.
Winter Fest at The South Street Seaport
- A festive market featuring local vendors with crafts, food, and holiday gifts along the waterfront, including live entertainment and holiday-themed activities for families.
Grand Central Holiday Fair
- Gifts, clothing, jewelry and more fill GCT Vanderbilt Hall daily through Dec. 24th.
Holiday Art Show and Craft Fair
Sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women New York, this features affordably priced artwork and gifts by Council Lifetime Learning Students, including jewelry, holiday cards, stained glass, and paintings.
- Thursday, Dec. 12 only, 4pm to 6pm.
- National Council of Jewish Women New York,(241 W. 72nd St.
- Pre-register at the link.
More than 150 hand-picked local artisans and dealers, this is the only year-round crafts and vintage market with both indoor and outdoor spaces and rotating merchants.
You’ll find handmade holiday decor, candles, skincare, fashion, vintage accessories, rare antique silver and glassware, plus delicious artisanal chocolates and foods.
To add to the giving spirit, 100% of Grand Bazaar’s profits support four local public schools, benefiting more than 2,000 children.
- Special holiday markets are December 8, 15, and 22, 10AM-5PM.
December Events to Put on Your Calendar
Paley Museum – Jews Don’t Count Documentary & Discussion
Thursday, Dec. 12 – As part of the Paley Impact series Media’s Role in Combating Antisemitism, The Paley Museum is pleased to present an exclusive screening of the highly acclaimed documentary David Baddiel: Jews Don’t Count.
In this provocative adaptation of the 2021 book with the same title, British comedian and writer David Baddiel explores the spread of unchecked rampant antisemitism and why he believes Jews are too often dismissed in current dialogues about discrimination and policies that address racism.
Following the screening, there will be a candid discussion with David Baddiel on the rising tide of antisemitism in society.
- More info: https://bit.ly/40ovPZm
- The Paley Museum, also known as Paley Center for the Media, is on W52nd St., just east of Fifth Ave.
FREE – Visit the Barbie StreamHouse
Dec. 12-15 – Visit a special Barbie StreamHouse, where you can take selfies with her closets and faux swimming pool, play Barbie games online, even make your own Barbie-themed cellphone cover.
Verizon turned the Barbie® DreamHouse™ into the ultimate StreamHouse™ powered by Verizon Home Internet. Just stop by first come first served. Capacity is limited.
You can’t miss the Barbie StreamHouse. It’s the iconic pink mansion at 214 Lafayette Street, in the heart of NYC’s SoHo.
- Thursday/Friday, Dec. 12/13 – Noon to 7pm
- Saturday/Sunday, Dec. 14/15, 10am to 7pm.
There’s also a Barbie exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design in Columbus Circle.
- Scroll down to our Best Current Museum Exhibits section to read all about it.
FREE – Swing Dance Lesson & Dancing in Harlem
Saturday, Dec. 14 – The Harlem Dance Exchange is sponsoring a FREE swing dance lesson, followed by social dancing, in Harlem, where lindy and swing began.
At 5pm have a FREE Harlem Lindy Hop Dance lesson and learn to swing to most any music.
Then from 6 – 9pm – whether you Line Dance, Partner or Solo – Join in for a variety of jams and get your groove on!
- Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, 125th St. and the Hudson River
Historic Tour of Van Cortlandt House Museum
Saturday, Dec. 14: Take a candlelit, self-guided tour of the Van Cortlandt House Museum in The Bronx from 4 to 7 p.m.
- Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children and seniors and free for kids under 12.
Times Square Wishing Wall
Through Dec. 28 – Turn your wishes, hopes and dreams for 2025 into confetti that drops on New Year’s Eve revelers in Times Square.
The annual Wishing Wall is back for another year. Submit your wishes in person or online – it can be anything, from a personal goal or a dream for the future, like peace on earth.
The Wishing Wall is open daily through Dec. 28, although it will be closed on Dec. 25th. Anything submitted after the 28th will be saved for next year.
New Year’s Eve Times Square Ball Drop
December 31 – January 1 | Midtown Manhattan – It’s the biggest party on the planet, with a million or move participants in Times Square, and several million more around the world watching the broadcast event.
Entertainers include Megan Thee Stallion and Flo Rida.
- We’ll publish the complete official minute-by-minute schedule as soon as we get it from the Times Square Alliance.
Best New NYC Park
Pier 97, Hudson River Park
Move over, High Line and Little Island you’ve got competition.
Pier 97, the northernmost pier in Hudson River Park is now open, following a $47.5 million transformation from a parking lot and Dept. of Sanitation storage facility into a gleaming and appealing public park with multiple facilities.
Pier 97 – at 57th St. and the Hudson River – has 2.5 acres of public open space, complete with a playground, athletic field, sloping sun lawn, and more—all surrounded by over 16,000 square feet of vibrant flowers and plants. A new building with restrooms and concessions is expected to open this winter.
Constructed between 1921 and 1934, Pier 97 served as a hub of the Swedish America Line and remained an active dock through the 1970s. Then it became a parking lot used by the city’s Department of Sanitation until 2011.
Pier 97 features include –
- The playground features a 26-foot-high rope climbing structure, a ship’s hull, and seasonal water spray features.
- The 120-foot-long synthetic turf field can accommodate a range of sports and activities, while the 7,600-square-foot sloping lawn offers a relaxing green space, providing a shady place of respite on the pier.
- A granite slide for guests of all ages connects the new elevated overlook and shaded belvedere section on the pier’s northern edge with the main pier below.
- The sunset deck, equipped with bistro tables, chaise lounges, and two-tiered walls with seating, offers breathtaking views of the Hudson River and skyline.
- Flexible gathering areas framed by flowers and plants offer tranquil spaces for socializing, and a walking promenade along the pier’s southern edge invites visitors for a relaxing stroll.
Work on a new park building directly north of Pier 97 containing public bathrooms, concessions, and a small maintenance area will open this winter. Solar panels will be installed on the roof, and the Hudson River Park Trust will issue a request for proposals (RFP) to select a food concessionaire. The Trust also plans to attract a historic vessel for docking on the south side of Pier 97.
Construction of the pier was primarily funded by $40.8 million from the NY State capital budget, plus $6.7 million in proceeds from a Transferable Development Rights Sale completed by the Trust in 2018.
Who is a real New Yorker? It depends on who you ask.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter was interviewed by
Time Out New York
Where to Go Ice Skating in NYC
FREE Ice Skating in Bryant Park
Another sure sign the holidays are coming is the arrival of the Bryant Park Winter Village, FREE ice skating and nearly 200 holiday kiosks, featuring handmade crafts, food, jewelry and gift items.
The holiday kiosks close on January 5, but the ice skating continues through March 2, 2025.
- The holiday kiosks are open daily.
- Monday-to Friday, 11am-8pm, Saturday and Sunday, 10am-8pm.
FREE Ice Skating Rules
The 17,000-square-foot ice-skating rink is FREE with our own skates. There also are skates and lockers for rental.
- Skating is available daily from 8am-10pm.
- Extended hours of 8am-midnight are available on Thursdays-Sundays starting November 7, and again daily December 1-January 5.
Also returning are –
- The Lodge: a covered, outdoor après-themed area where visitors can grab a festive cocktail, enjoy delicious food, watch the ice skaters or admire the tree.
- The Curling Café returns in mid-November with iceless curling, food, drinks, and each lane’s own private igloo. These are warm, cozy spots which can be booked for a small party or for date night.
Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center
- The Rink at Rockefeller Center is open daily through March. Reservations recommended.
- Cost: $21+ for ages 6+, $11+ for ages 0-5 depending on the date/time/age. Skate rentals are $12.
Ice Skating at the Wollman Rink in Central Park
The iconic rink is open through March 2025. During the skating season, enjoy skyline views, rinkside igloos, an expanded skate school, and free access programs.
General admission ranges from $15-$38 for adults, depending on the date; kids and seniors get in for $10/person. Skate rentals cost $12.
New Yorkers who have historically not been able to afford a visit can get free and reduced access through the Wollman Rink Access Program.
Through Culture Pass, free skating admission tickets are available online for New Yorkers with a NYPL card.
Plus, New Yorkers with a library card or ID NYC card can stop by the box office each day to purchase a $15 package that includes admission, skate rental, and hot cocoa. The package is available each day, first-come, first-served.
- Cost: $12 skate rentals | Off-peak admission: $15 adults, $10 kids 4-12 & seniors | Peak admission: $27 adult, $10 kids 2-12 & seniors | Prime admission: $38 adult, $10 kids 2-12 & senior
The Rink at Brookfield Place
Brookfield Place has plenty of holiday activities under its iconic palm trees inside, but outside, you’ll find a seasonally appropriate winter wonderland.
The complex’s riverside skating rink is now open for the season for public skating and private lessons. One-hour sessions start at $15 on weekdays and $17 on weekends.
Find the full schedule and book a spot on the ice here.
- Cost: Weekdays $15, Weekends $17, $5 weekdays/$7 weekends skate rental, $15/$20 skate aid rental | $55+ skate lessons
The Rooftop at Pier 17
Spice up skating season with a dash of Irish whiskey at the Rooftop at Pier 17; the venue is partnering with legendary Irish pub the Dead Rabbit for a holiday pop up dubbed “Jingle Jangle”, including nostalgic Irish holiday festivities, kitschy cocktails , private cozy dining cabins, over-the-top decorations.
It’s open seven days a week, with hours stretching until 11 p.m. on Saturdays. Find more info and reserve a spot here.
- Cost: $13-$14
Winter Whirl Roller Rink at the Shops at the Oculus
Okay, it’s not ice skating – but it is skating.
The Oculus’s much-loved Winter Whirl Roller Rink returns for its second season starting November 22, giving skaters the opportunity to glide around (on wheels) amid the building’s breathtaking architecture.
The rink is open Wednesdays through Sundays until January 5 and runs $30 for adults, $25 for children under 13. Book your spot here.
Ice Skating Under the Brooklyn Bridge
The Roebling Rink is one of the newest additions to rinks in NYC parks where you can go ice skating – and this one is under the Brookyn Bridge, with memorable views of Manhattan. .
Roebling Rink, located underneath the Brooklyn Bridge at the picturesque Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, is perfect for skaters of all ages and skill levels.
With affordable rates —just $10 for skating, $7 for rentals, $3 for helmets, and $5 for skate buddies— there’s no better place to create unforgettable winter memories.
Plus, Brooklyn residents can enjoy free skating on Sunday mornings 10-11 AM and Mondays 5-6 PM throughout the season (first come, first served; tickets are walk-up only).
For more details and to grab your tickets, visit RoeblingRink.com.
Ice Skating in Domino Park in Brooklyn
Another brand new ice skating rink this season is the new one in Domino Park, along the waterfront in Williamsburg, with reduced prices for NYC residents.
Full-price ticketing is $18 for a 75 minute session and $12 for NYC residents.
Skating is open Monday – Friday from 12PM to 9PM and Saturday/Sunday from 9AM to 9PM. The main entrance is located on South 3rd Street, between Kent Avenue and River Street.
- Cost: Multiple prices
- Mon/Tues/Thurs: $18 admission ($75 min session), $12 admission for NYC residents (ID required), $12 skate rental
- Half-price Wed: $9 admission ($75 min session), $6 admission for NYC residents (ID required), $6 skate rental
- Fri-Sun: $22 admission ($75 min session), $16 admission for NYC residents (ID required), $12 skate rental
Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park
This is a unique space because there’s the choice of both outdoors and indoors.
Covered rink: Mon – Thurs: 11am – 4:30pm, Friday: 11am – 8:30pm, Saturday: 1pm – 8:30pm, Sunday: 12:30pm – 6pm
Open air rink: Mon – Thurs: 11am – 7pm, Friday: 11am – 8:30pm, Saturday: 11am – 8:30pm, Sunday: 11am – 7pm
- Cost: $10.60 weekdays, $15.25 weekends, $10.35 skate rental, $27.20 skate aid rental (lockers, bag check, helmets, elbow/knee pads also available for rental)
Ice Skating at Industry City Ice Rink
This rink is open through early March, Thursdays to Sundays only. Industry City is a shopping complex in Sunset Park.
Hours are : Thu-Fri 4pm – 8pm, Sat/Sun Noon – 8pm
- Cost: $10 Thursdays includes admission and rentals, $16 Friday-Sunday. $40 VIP tickets also available.
- $15 ticket, $10 skate rental (skate aids, helmet, bag check also available)
Indoor Ice Skating at Abe Stark Rink
This indoor rink in Coney Island is open through March 30th. It is operated by the NYC Dept. of Parks.
Hours are Saturdays, Sundays & select holidays 12:30-3:30pm (11/29, 12/26-30, 12/31, 1/1, 1/20, 2/17-21. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas)
- Cost: $13 admission, $7 skate rentals
Best Current NYC Museum Exhibits
Museum of the City of New York (MCNY)
Even before you see these fabulous gingerbread creations, you’ll smell their sweet-spicy aromas wafting through the halls.
Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off returns to the Museum of the City of New York with a couple of dozen beautiful and intricate gingerbread structures that reflect the wonder of NYC, crafted by a mix of amateur and professional bakers.
Each creation emulates an iconic part of the city, from the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Coney Island Wonder Wheel and the Prospect Park Boathouse to a bodega, complete with an equally iconic bodega cat.
A panel of professional chefs and restaurant owners will pick the winner for bragging rights. And there’s also a People’s Choice award – so you get to choose, too.
ecoxplorer tip – Be sure to stop at the MCNY gift store for gingerbread ornaments and other great gift items with a NYC theme.
- On display through Jan 12, 2025
- FREE with museum admission
Museum of Art and Design (MAD)
Barbie®: A Cultural Icon explores the 65-year history of Barbie and the doll’s global impact on fashion and popular culture through an expansive display of more than 250 vintage dolls, life-size fashion designs, advertisements, and other artifacts, including a full-size Corvette for selfies. It’s a timeline also of how the American culture has changed with women’s rights, diversity and more – great fodder for discussion as you visit.
On view through Mar 16, the exhibition traces the evolution of Barbie from a child’s toy to a global icon, exploring the style trends, careers, and identities that Barbie has embodied and popularized since her debut in 1959.
There also are FREE docent tours (with admission), and before-hours and after-hours tours.
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is currently exhibiting the first major retrospective of Elizabeth Catlett’s career. Catlett’s only public commissioned work sought to honor author Ralph Ellison in Riverside Park near where he and his wife Fanny lived. The efforts of Harlem residents in partnership with the Riverside Park Conservancy resulted in the funding for the Ralph Ellison Memorial and the selection of artist Elizabeth Catlett’s sculpture “Invisible Man” for it.
In addition to the Brooklyn Museum exhibit, there are two free events in Manhattan which explore the history and context of the memorial’s creation:
- Sunday, 11/24, 12:30–3 pm, Lobby of 730 Riverside Drive: Ralph Ellison Memorial Walking Tour. Explore aspects of Ellison’s life and career in his neighborhood with Harlem historian John T. Reddick.
- Sunday, 11/24, 2–3 pm, American Academy of Arts and Letters (633 W 155th St.): Elizabeth Catlett, Public Art in Context. Reddick and panelists will discuss the Ellison Memorial in the context of Catlett’s career, engagement with the Harlem community, and identity as an artist. Panelists include: Dalila Scruggs (Augusta Savage Curator of African American Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Catlett scholar); Ken Smith (the Ellison memorial project’s landscape architect); Francisco Mora, Jr. (son of Elizabeth Catlett).
Visit the Brooklyn Museum’s current exhibit about Elizabeth Catlett until January 2025.
9/11 Memorial and Museum
Remembering Sept. 11, 2001 – The World Trade Center redefined the city’s skyline and developed modern New York. Learn the story in a new exhibition at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
The 9/11 Museum is currently open six days a week, 9am to 7pm (plus select Tuesdays). Explore at your own pace, and plan to spend at least 45-90 minutes.
Bring tissues. Some exhibits are not appropriate for very young children.
- The 9/11 Museum is adjacent to the FREE 9/11 Memorial Plaza, with the famous waterfalls. That is open to the public 8am to 8pm daily.
- The museum is not free. Tickets for the 9/11 Museum can be purchased here up to six months in advance.
Responsibility of Memory: The Role of Art in Holocaust Remembrance
Holocaust Remembrance Day was in May, but this virtual art exhibit remembering Yom HaShoah is on-going, sponsored by The Holocaust and United Nations Outreach Programme
The FREE online exhibit features three generations of artists whose lives were impacted by the Holocaust and whose art was shaped by this experience – including artists who survived Auschwitz Birkenau and Terezin.
There are full descriptions of each painting, along with bios of each artist represented in the exhibit.
The exhibition was curated by the Center for Persecuted Arts and Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, and is sponsored by the German Federal Foreign Office with support from of the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations.
ICYMI – News Worth Noting
Fotografiska New York Has Closed
The photography museum has closed its location at 219 Park Avenue South to move to a new, larger space. It is expected the museum’s well-regarded restaurant Verōnika and the Chapel Bar will re-open in the new space.
According to Crain’s, the architecturally stunning building is being put on the market. The property was last listed in 2022 for $135 million.
Constructed between 1892 and 1894 for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church, the ornate building features a Flemish Renaissance Revival style and a striking limestone facade.
The building, known as the Church Missions House, was part of an area formerly known as “Charity Row.” It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
No details of a new location for the museum have been announced yet.
Frick Madison is Closed Permanently
After three years at its temporary space called Frick Madison at 945 Madison Ave. while Henry Clay Frick’s historic and ornate Fifth Avenue mansion underwent a massive renovation, the artwork returns “home” to East 70th Street, and scheduled to reopen in April 2025
It will take that long for curators and designers to re-install the precious items, which includes works by Fragonard, Holbein, Rembrandt, Turner, Vermeer, and Whistler, as well as significant sculptures, Chinese porcelain, Oriental carpets, bronzes, and other decorative arts objects.
I really enjoyed seeing the luscious historic collection in the stark, modernist setting of Marcel Breuer’s iconic building, formerly home of the Whitney Museum of American Art, before it moved downtown to new digs in Chelsea. The “brutalist” architecture made the romantic, ethereal artworks feel so much more romantic and ethereal.
The building has been purchased by Sotheby’s, to become an exhibit area for auctions and offices.
Michelin Guide Adds 12 NYC Restaurants
Fine dining just got more fine with the addition of 12 NYC restaurants to the famous Michelin Guide, bringing the number to 142.
- The new additions include French, Italian, seafood, Thai and Filippino choices
- See the full list here. Reservations recommended.
Landing Day
On Sept. 15, 1654, a group of 23 Sephardic Jews arrived on the shores of New York — then called New Amsterdam — and created the first organized Jewish community in the city. Today, 350 years later, NYC is home to the largest Jewish population of any city in the world.
- The City Council has voted on a resolution to honor both, turning Landing Day from an event marked by a few Jewish leaders into an official date on the city’s calendar. That’s just short of making it a holiday, like Juneteenth.
- The resolution aims to “commemorate the arrival of the first Jewish community in New Amsterdam in 1654 and to celebrate the continuing importance of the Jewish community in the City of New York.”
Food Hall Opening in former Lord & Taylor Building
NYC’s newest food hall, Shaver Hall, is set to open in the iconic former Lord & Taylor building on Fifth Avenue between 38th and 39th Sts., now housing Amazon. According to a press release, it will “celebrate the rich heritage of the iconic Lord & Taylor building and promises to redefine the culinary landscape of Midtown Manhattan.”
- Shaver Hall is named in honor of Dorothy Shaver, the trailblazing president of Lord & Taylor and first woman to head a multimillion-dollar business.
- The first two announced tenants are Chick Chick, featuring Korean-inspired chicken, and Taqueria Al Pastor, with Mexican cuisine.
About the Lord & Taylor building –
- Originally constructed in 1914, the Lord & Taylor Building is an 11-story commercial masterpiece in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, designed by renowned architects Starrett & van Vleck.
- The building’s granite, brick, and limestone facade and copper cornice have symbolized elegance and sophistication for over a century, including for its famous and famously inventive holiday windows.
Gotham West Market is Closing
Gotham West Market, a food hall that had been around for 11 years, will close at the end of the year after declining for several years, with the departure of popular tenants such as Ivan Ramen.
At its peak the 10,000-square-foot food hall in Hell’s Kitchen on 11th Avenue was considered one of the city’s leading food halls, even proclaiming itself as the city’s best.
The Vessel at Hudson Yards Re-Opens
- The famous honeycomb sculpture has re-opened after shutting down in January following three suicides, but it is no longer FREE to visit.
- The 150-foot Vessel now has safety netting to safeguard visitors, and the once-free architectural sculpture now costs $10 per person.
- Visitors must buy at least two tickets and will not be allowed to visit alone.
- Hudson Yards is “installing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline signage and messaging” and increasing security, CNN reported.
Serendipity 3 Opens in Times Square.
- The famous ice cream parlor will keep it’s Upper East Side location open, and add this new one.
- Read the full story, with photos, in this MarketWatch article.
Citi Bike Rate Increase
Lyft, the rideshare company which now owns and operates the bike share program, has raised rates again, especially for the popular battery-assisted e-bikes.
- Unlocking a Citi Bike now costs $4.79.
- E-bike fees are now approximately $10 for 15 minutes.
- A day pass for a manual bike is now $19.
See Also
More FREE Things to Do in NYC
Things to Do in Staten Island
Best NYC Airport Transportation
It’s All Happening at one of the NYC Zoos
Bronx Zoo
One of the largest zoos in the USA, the beloved Bronx Zoo has been celebrating its 125th anniversary throughout 2024, with a combination of new exhibits and a yearlong schedule of special events – including – .
Animal Chronicles: A NEW temp exhibit includes a walking trail of more than a quarter mile featuring life-size and gigantic, immersive eco-sculptures that showcase key achievements in the Bronx Zoo’s history of saving animal species and connecting New Yorkers to wildlife.
- Animal Chronicles will be available daily and is included with admission.
Monthly Birthday Celebrations: Weekend celebrations will be spread throughout the park on select days from April through September, including parades, performances, crafting, scavenger hunts, tours, Wildlife Theater, and much more.
- Each month features a different theme.
- Ticket prices are $37.75 for adults, $33.25 for seniors 65+ and $28.75 for children 3-15.
- Purchase tickets online here.
Wednesdays are FREE limited-admission
- Online reservations for timed tickets open on Mondays at 5 pm at the link.
- These tickets are for park entry only; individual-attraction tickets cost $7/person, per attraction.
- All visitors age 3 and up are required to have a ticket, and to reserve you must register with a valid email address.
- Limited tickets; first-reserved, first-served,
Prospect Park Zoo
The Prospect Park Zoo is open again after being forced to close for eight months due to flood damage caused by the storm last September, which left 25 feet of water in the buildings’ basements. No animals were harmed during or after the flooding. Repairs have cost an estimated $20 million of federal funds, and repair projects are continuing even after the re-opening.
There are some new young animals, including baboons Bandari and Nyani and Pinnelopi the porcupette plus Turtle Time and Conservation stations, sea lion feedings with narration, and more.
The animals are happy to have their humans, back, too.
- Adult tickets are $9.95, seniors are $7.95, children ages 3-12 are $6.95, and children 2 and under are free.
- Reserve tickets here
See Also
Best FREE Things in NYC Year-Round
FREE – Late Night Shows Taped in New York City
The late night shows taped in NYC are one of the most popular tickets in town. Here’s how to get FREE tickets to be in the audience.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Jon Stewart Returns to The Daily Show
Tickets for Saturday Night Live (SNL)
FREE Weekly & Monthly Museum Admission FREE Monday Admission to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
First Monday of the Month – This great opportunity is only for NYC residents. You will have to show proof of NYC residency for free admission.
Everybody can get FREE admission every Monday, from from 5:30pm to 7pm.
Simply log onto 911memorial.org from 7am on the Monday morning of your intended visit and book your free ticket.
Tickets are always free to 9/11 families, and the outdoor memorial plaza is always free.
FREE Admission to Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Friday, Dec. 6, Jan. 3
UNIQLO NYC Nights are the first Friday of each month, 4–8 pm.
New York City residents get free admission courtesy of UNIQLO, but everyone can enjoy an evening out in our galleries with paid admission.
See new art in the galleries, enjoy music by DJs from The Lot Radio, grab a drink at the pop-up bar, get creative with drop-in drawing sessions, see a film in the theaters, and enjoy the spring weather in the lovely outdoor sculpture garden.
FREE First Fridays at Neue Galerie, Friday, Fri., , Dec. 6, Jan. 3
First Fridays at Neue Galerie offer free admission and extra hours to closing, the first Friday of the month.
Visitors are admitted free at 5 p.m. and the galleries remain open until 8 p.m. No registration is required, and admission is first-come, first-served.
The Book Store and Design Shop stay open late, too.
FREE First Fridays at Poster House, Friday, Fri., Dec. 6, Jan. 3
Poster House is the first museum in the United States dedicated to the global history of posters. First Fridays free admission is all day, 10am to 9pm
Every First Friday is different, with tours, workshops, performances, and activities, to further engage visitors with the exhibitions.
- Poster House is at 119 West 23 St. in Chelsea. tel. 617-447-7453
FREE Fridays & Sundays at the Whitney Museum of American Art
Update – Starting in mid-December, the The Whitney Museum of American Art will begin offering free admission for all visitors 25 and under. starting in mid-December.
The new program builds upon the museum’s free admission on Fridays and the second Sunday of every month, which launched earlier in 2024, replacing its “pay-what-you-wish” system.
Now, adminision is FREE for all visitors on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on the second Sunday of every mont.
Second Sundays offers free all-day admission to visitors and special programming for families. On the second Sunday of every month, guests can enjoy all-ages arts & crafts activities, tours, classes, and other special events connected to exhibitions on view at the Whitney or significant community events like Earth Day or Pride Month.
Also on view will be the museum’s permanent collection exhibitions, featuring artists such as Edward Hopper, Kara Walker, Georgia O’Keeffe, Kevin Beasley, Faith Ringgold, Lee Krasner, Jasper Johns, Alexander Calder, Jacob Lawrence, Carrie Mae Weems, Andrea Carlson, and Clarissa Tossin.
The Whitney hopes free admission will make the museum more enticing to potential visitors and open the doors to a wider audience.
Free admission tickets must be reserved in advance.
FREE Saturdays at the Jewish Museum
There is FREE admission every Saturday.
My personal favorite is the ongoing “Scenes from the Collection” exhibit, with the delightful yellow sculpture shown here. From one side, it spells OY, the German and Yiddish phrase for “uh-oh”. From the other side, it spells YO, now used by multiple cultures in NYC as a greeting.
Which one do you use – OY, or YO, or both?
- The Jewish Museum is at 1109 Fifth Ave. at 92nd St.
FREE Tours of Hart Island
Hart Island is now open to the public. Since 1869, more than 1 million New Yorkers have been laid to rest on the island.
NYC Parks is now offering visits twice per month so New Yorkers can learn about its important history and see the beauty of the island and enjoy picture postcard views of the city.
You can put your name in the lottery for a free walking tour here.
Read about the history of Hart Island in this article in The City.
- Tours are Tuesdays, 10am to 1pm
This NYC Best Things to Do Calendar is updated at the beginning and middle of each month.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is the author or editor of numerous NYC guidebooks and apps.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA),
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA)
Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.
Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter
Nancie Steinberg says
This is great! I love exploring my city and being made aware of what’s going on and where to go!